Recent Rescues

[den]

Barn owl. I took him out to the zoovets because he seemed to have a vision problem. Tim The Vet said he was blind in one eye, which means he can't be released. Tim is talking about putting him in a captive care programme but National Parks policy says the owl has to be euthanased. I'm going to pass this on to the experts, but I hope the owl gets a paper euthanasia and goes into care. He's really fit and healthy, apart from being blind, and has taken to captivity like a champion.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/crossfire_/]

It would be a shame to euthanize him. Here in Colorado we have the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program (http://www.rmrp.org/), a group that takes in injurned raptors. They rehabilitate and release if they can, but they also keep some of those that can't be released but are still healthy and have taken well to captivity. They go to schools and renaissance festivals and county fairs and such and bring their birds and use them for education and fundraising. Is there something similar in Australia? I'm sure the RMRP would keep the owl and not euthanize him, since you said he was healthy otherwise and was doing well in captivity.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

There aren't enough cages to take every bird like this into care. If he was a boobook or barking owl, which are listed as vulnerable, there wouldn't be a debate, but barn owls are the most common owl in the world. Got mice? Got barn owls.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Interesting... I don't think we have barn owls in NZ. Morepork (native owls) yes, barn owls no.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

oh, and falconry is illegal here. Only some zoos and specially licenced educational centres have raptors and owls for showing.